No Type of Assistance Should Be Provided to Azerbaijan, Menendez

Providing military support to Azerbaijan not only undermines the national security interests of the United States but also goes against our obligation to honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide and the survivors, as well as our commitment to ensuring that history does not repeat itself. This was stated by Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during an event held in the U.S. Congress on the occasion of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“We remember the 1.5 million victims not only for how they died. We also remember how they lived. Their contributions to Armenian history and culture live on to this day,” Menendez noted, recalling that his wife's grandfather was one of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

At the same time, the senator emphasized that there is still much to be done not only because the Turkish government continues to try to conceal the truth about the Armenian Genocide by persecuting writers and historians, but also because Azerbaijan is holding the Armenians of Artsakh under illegal blockade. Menendez stressed that as a result of the war unleashed by Baku in 2020, about 100,000 Armenians were displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

“In my opinion, the U.S. response is unacceptable; therefore, I advocate for sending more humanitarian aid to support those affected both in Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Menendez said, noting that he received assurances from Secretary of State Antony Blinken that steps would be taken to provide more assistance to the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Menendez also deemed unacceptable Washington's military and other support for the Baku regime, given the torture of unarmed Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani military personnel. “I am strongly opposed to any type of assistance being provided to a military force known for war crimes and aggression against a neighboring state. We should not ‘get into bed’ with governments like Azerbaijan. That is unforgivable, morally reprehensible, and it must stop,” Menendez emphasized.